Taking medicines with you when travelling to Thailand

Are you planning to take medicines with you to Thailand? For some medicines - like sleeping pills, medication for ADHD and strong painkillers - you need a medical certificate.

Checklist for taking medicines with you when travelling

1. Find out whether your medicine falls under the Opium Act

Ask your pharmacist or doctor whether your medicine falls under the Opium Act. You can also look this up yourself. If your medicines (or ingredients in them) do not fall under the Opium Act, you can take them with you. Make sure you carry them in the original packaging. This will make it clear that they are medicines and not illicit drugs.

2. Schengen certificate or medical certificate?

If your medicine (or your child’s medicine) falls under the Opium Act, you will need a certificate. There are two kinds of certificate :

3. Applying for a certificate

Make sure you submit your application in good time. Visit the website of the Central Administrative Office (CAK) to see which certificate is required by the country you want to travel to. The site is in Dutch. You can also download the certificate from the site so your doctor can fill it in and sign it. Send the signed certificate to the CAK. The CAK will need 4 weeks to process your certificate.

Medication passport is not a medical certificate

The medication passport (also known as the European Medical Passport) is not a medical certificate. The medication passport lists all the medicines you use or are allergic to. This is useful if you visit a pharmacy or doctor abroad. Ask your own pharmacy or doctor for the passport.

Tips

Submit your application on time: at least 4 weeks before you travel.

Always carry your medicines in the original packaging.

See the CAK website for other information (cost, validity, visiting more than one country). The site is in Dutch.